On Mon, Nov 26, 2012 at 12:53 AM, roberto03 <roberto.catanuto@gmail.com> wrote:>> Hello, I'd like to ask you if anyone is currently studying the possibility of using modern computer games (Call of Duty, World of Warcraft etc.) in some Math (Algebra and Geometry) lessons.>> Thank you very much.>> Roberto

Yes Roberto, the game engine approach to physics and mathematics iswell developed in some schools, especially in Japan.

Keith Devlin has received publicity for urging a similar approachthrough Stanford but there's no sense in waiting.

A closed source game will be inspirational and is playedrecreationally meaning there's no need to add motivation to playgames.

"With higher performance processors and tools to rapidly create thevolumetric tessellations, real-time finite element systems began to beused in games, beginning with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed that usedDigital Molecular Matter for the deformation and destruction effectsof wood, steel, flesh and pants using an algorithm developed by Dr.James O'Brien as a part of his PhD thesis." -- Wikipedia, Physicsengine

The learning comes through when you reduce the physics to special caseinstances that highlight specific principles and related math.

In the early grades, familiarity with coordinate systems is a focus,with kinetics coming more in college (mechanics).

At a most primitive level, translation, scaling, rotation, and therules of perspective rendering have the floor (receive mostattention).

This is where the polyhedrons come in, as entities to be rendered,translated, rotated, scaled -- and later to be textured and modeled inavatars for game play.

Matrix algebra and quaternions fit here, as part of a single thread.Here's an essay for gamers that helps pass on the lore: